Magnetic jaw liners



Nov. 27, 1962 F. o.' MILLER 3,065,960

MAGNETIC JAW LINERS Filed 001;. 29, 1959 FIG. I

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INVENTOR. FREDERICK o. MILLER ATTORNEYS United States Patent Filed Oct. 29, 1959, Ser. No. 849,574 1 Claim. (Cl. 269-276) This invention relates to liners for the jaws of metal Vises, lathe chucks and the like and more particularly to jaw liners including magnetic means for removably supporting the liners in such positions on the jaws of the vise or similar device as to enable the liners, rather than the vise or lathe chuck jaws, to engage a workpiece.

There are many instances where a workpiece or a piece of stock must be held between the jaws of a vise or a lathe chuck, for example. The jaws of such devices conventionally are made of metal which is much harder than the stock, so care must be exercised in supporting the stock in order to avoid marring or otherwise seriously damaging it. This problem has been recognized heretofore and many proposals have been put forward in an effort to overcome or minimize the possibility of damaging a workpiece between the jaws of a vise or chuck. In those instances where the vise or chuck jaws are formed of metal, it is convenient to provide liners formed of softer material such as rubber or the like or a relatively soft metal such as brass to be interposed between the workpiece and the jaws so as to provide a relatively deformable surface in engagement with the workpiece. It also has been proposed to secure magnets to the liners in order to aid in supporting the liners on the jaws. In the known devices of this kind, it has always been a problem, firstly, to secure the magnet to the liner in a quick and simple operation and, secondly, to prevent inadvertent separation of the magnet and the liner.

An object of this invention is to provide a magnetic jaw liner which overcomes the disadvantages of known devices of a similar nature.

Another object of the invention is to provide a magnetic jaw liner wherein the magnet is secured to the liner by means forming part of the liner itself, as opposed to separate fastening elements.

A further object of the invention is to provide a magnetic jaw liner construction in which the magnet is secured to the liner in such manner that normal use of the liner aids in maintaining the magnet in place.

A further object of the invention is to provide a magnetic jaw liner construction which is simple and economical to produce and yet which is rugged and durable in use.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be pointed out specifically or will become apparent from the following description when it is considered in conjunction with the appended claims and the accompanying drawing, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a fragmentary, elevational view of a vise having jaws equipped with liners formed according to the invention;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged view partly in side elevation and partly in section of a liner;

FIGURE 3 is a plan view of the apparatus shown in FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 4 is an end elevation of one of the liners;

FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary, sectional, enlarged view of a liner and magnet, illustrating their method of assembly and prior to the clamping of the magnet;

FIGURE 6 is a view similar to FIGURE 5, but illustrating the magnet in clamped position;

FIGURE 7 is an elevational view of a lathe chuck having jaws equipped with liners formed according to an embodiment of the invention;

3,065,960 Patented Nov. 27, 1962 FIGURE 8 is a side elevational view of one of the liners shown in FIGURE 7; and

FIGURE 9 is an end elevation of the liner shown in FIGURE 8.

A jaw liner formed in accordance with the embodiment of the invention disclosed in FIGURES 1-6 is adapted for use in conjunction with a vise 1 of conventional construction having a fixed jaw 2 and a movable jaw 3 formed of metal, the jaws being capable of relative movement towards and away from one another in response to rotation of a screw 4 by means of an operating handle 5. The jaws of the vise customarily are made of hard steel or the like and even may have their abutting faces serrated or corrugated to provide non-slip surfaces by means of which workpieces may be securely gripped. Vises of this kind are unsuitable for use in supporting delicate workpieces orstock from which workpieces are to be formed because of the possibility that the pressure exerted by the jaws of the vise would cause the surfaces of the jaws to mar or otherwise damage the article supported between the jaws. In such a situation, it is convenient to provide liners formed of soft material on the opposed bases of the jaws 2 and 3.

J aw liners of the kind with which the invention is concerned are adapted for use in one or more pairs, but since each liner of a pair is identical, only one will be described in detail.

A liner constructed in accordance with the invention is generally designated by a plate-like body member 6 preferably formed of relatively soft metal such as lead, aluminum, brass, bronze, or the like, and having arms 7 and 8 extending at an angle to one another. The metal from which the member 6 is formed preferably i one which can be cast or molded so as to enable one or more recesses or sockets 9 to be formed in at least one of the arms 7 or 8. While two recesses 9 are shown in FIG- URES 2 and 3, more or less may be provided, as desired. Each recess 9 preferably is of less depth than the thickness of the arm in which it is located and is completely open to one side of the arm. The mold in. which the plate 6 is formed should be so shaped that in forming the member 6, upstanding tabs or projections 10 extend outwardly from the arm 7. There preferably are two such projections 10, one located at one end of each recess 9 and the other located at the opposite end of the recess.

The invention includes a number of magnets 11, corre sponding to the number of recesses 9, each magnet having a shape corresponding substantially to the shape of the recess 9 and being of such size as snugly to fit in the recess, but having a thickness greater than the depth of the recess so that the magnet projects slightly beyond the face of the arm 7 as is indicated in FIGURES 5 and 6. The exposed edges of the magnet adjacent to the projections 1 preferably are beveled or otherwise cut away as at 12 whereby the striking of the projections 10 adjacent to each recess by a suitable tool (not shown) will deform the projections towards the arm 7 and towards one another so as to overlie the marginal portions of the magnet 11 and securely clamp the latter in the recess 9. When the projections 10 have been peened over, they project slightly beyond the plane of the adjacent face of the arm 7, as is best shown in FIGURE 6 Consequently, when the liner is in use on a jaw of the vise 1, the projections 10 will be so located as to engage the upper edge of the jaw. If the liner should be dropped carelessely on the jaw, the projections will tend to clamp the magnet more securely. Thus, abuse of the liner may serve to tighten the magnet rather than to promote its looseness.

The embodiment of the invention disclosed in FIG- URES 7-9 is similar in many respects to the previously disclosed embodiment and simi ar reference characters are used to denote similar parts. The principal diiterence between the two embodiments is that in FIGURES 7-9, the construction includes body members 13 which are formed of relatively narrow plates or strips of soft metal of the kind previously referred toso as to be capable of being fitted on the movable jaws 14 of a lathe chuck 15 of conventional construction. Each member 13 includes two angularly disposed arms 16 and 17, but because of the narrowness of the members 13, only one magnet 11 is required and it may be mounted on either of the arms 16 or 17. The manner of assembling the liners and magnets of the FIGURES 7-9 embodiment is the same as that previously described.

The manner of use of the invention will be readily apparent from the foregoing disclosure, so further description is deemed unnecessary.

The disclosed embodiments are representative of presently preferred forms of the invention, but are intended to be illustrative rather than definitive thereof. The invention is defined in the claim.

I claim:

A liner for the jaws of a metal device such as a vise, chuck, or the like, said liner comprising a substantially right angular body member formed wholly of metal softer than the metal of said device and having a first substantially planar flange adapted to be interposed between two jaws of said device and a second substantially planar flange joined to and projecting laterally from said first flange,

said second flange being adapted to overlie a portion of one of said jaws and having a recess therein; magnetic means snugly received in said recess and projecting beyond said second flange in a direction substantially parallel to said first flange to engage the portion of said jaw that said second flange overlies for removably mounting said liner on said device, said magnetic means having chamfered portions at opposite ends thereof; and clamp means extending beyond said second flange in said direction and overlying said chamfered portions of said magnetic means to clamp the latter between said clamp means and said second flange, the construction and arrangement of said liner being such that when said liner is mounted on said device only said first flange lies between said jaws.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 307,453 Galbraith Nov. 4, 1884 917,387 Webb et al. Apr. 6, 1909 2,137,835 Dixon Nov. 22, 1938 2,217,514 Henry Oct. 8, 1940 2,510,634 Hull June 6, 1950 2,609,717 Maroth Sept. 9, 1952 2,641,793 Wilm June 16, 1953 2,666,352 Philips Jan. 19, 1954 2,896,991 Martin July 28, 1959 

